F-16 airstrikes destroy ISIS hideouts and caves in Hamrin mountains

KIRKUK — Iraqi Air Force F-16 fighter jets carried out airstrikes on Tuesday, targeting Islamic State hideouts and caves in the Hamrin Mountain range, Kirkuk. The strikes resulted in multiple ISIS casualties.

According to a statement from the Joint Operations Command, the airstrikes were conducted following directives from Prime Minister Mohammed Shia Al-Sudani, aimed at pursuing remaining ISIS elements. “The Joint Operations Command coordinated security and intelligence efforts across complex geographical areas to track down remnants of the ISIS terrorist group,” the statement read.

The operation was based on intelligence provided by Iraq’s the Counter Terrorism Service, in coordination with the Joint Operations Command and supported by technical intelligence from the International Coalition.

The airstrikes destroyed multiple ISIS hideouts and caves believed to be safe havens by the ISIS militant group. The operation also resulted in the deaths of several ISIS fighters who were present in the targeted locations. However, further details were not provided.

This part of ongoing operations in the area. On New Year’s Eve, the Iraqi Counter-Terrorism Service announced that its forces carried out a large-scale operation in the Hamrin mountain range, resulting in the killing of seven Islamic State militants and the destruction of over 20 hideouts and tunnels.

On the same day, the Counter-Terrorism Service also reported the death of one of its members, Hadi Hamid Ne’ma, during clashes with ISIS militants in the Hamrin mountain range.

The Islamic State emerged in 2014, controlled major cities like Mosul and Tikrit and declaring a “caliphate”. Known for extreme violence and targeting minorities, the group was militarily defeated in Iraq by 2017 by Iraqi forces, Kurdish Peshmerga, and a U.S.-led coalition. However, ISIS remnants persist as an insurgent force, conducting periodic attacks from remote areas.